INTERVIEW: ‘Mother Africa’ returns to New Victory with ‘My Home’ show
Everyday life in a South African township can be energetic, diverse and dynamic, pulsating with life, lessons and poetry. Cape Town’s largest township, Khayelitsha, is the inspiration for the new Mother Africa show called My Home. A company of acrobats, dancers and musicians create and transform a beautiful marketplace of dazzling circus acts, afro-beats and vibrant culture.
Mother Africa: My Home will play a holiday engagement Dec. 2 to Jan. 1 at the New Victory Theater in Midtown Manhattan. Audience members can expect such feats as foot jugglers tossing fellow cast members into the air and a body-bending contortionist. Add in some African Gumboot dance moves, congas and a kora, and this 42nd Street theater will transport fans of high-flying theatricality to the uniqueness and universality of South Africa and its communities.
Mother Africa shows are created and produced by Winston Ruddle and Hubert Schober, and they gather performers from Ruddle’s African Acrobatic Academy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Schober about the new show and the talented cast members who will be flying through the air, dancing across the stage and juggling with all their might. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What can New York fans of Mother Africa expect at the new Mother Africa: My Home?
Our fans can expect a thrilling mix of dance, music and acrobatics, but not like the show before.
The full cast will be on stage most of the show doing crazy, funny, silly things. Khayelitsha is the theme; it’s the name of the biggest township in Cape Town, South Africa. We want to show the audience the zest of life, the humor and the joy of living in a large township like Khayelitsha. We want to show the audience that there is hope, power, immense energy in our township.
How long is the rehearsal process for a technical show like Mother Africa: My Home?
Each artist is given a homework assignment / acrobatic act. They rehearse on their own or with the group if it’s a group act. Afterwards all of the acts rehearse together at a campground in Germany for a few weeks. The entire process takes approximately one to two years to perfect.
Besides the thrills and entertainment, what are you hoping audiences get out of the performance?
First, we just want to entertain people. Second, we want to show the beautiful side of Africa and the people that live there. The show is a combination of people from many different cultures, nationalities, tribes and backgrounds. We hope to prove that we all can live in peace and have lots of fun together.
Do you believe Mother Africa is a cultural ambassador of the many wonderful cultures and countries in Africa?
I truly hope so. We will try our best to be the best ambassadors for the entire African continent.
With a show that molds together acrobatics, music and dance — what typically comes first in the creation process? Do you create with an acrobatic act in mind? Or does a song come first?
It varies. The typical process is that I first look at the artist and their act. Afterwards, my co-director Ulrich Thon creates a story around the acrobatic theme. Finally, I choose the music to go along with the act.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Mother Africa: My Home will play the New Victory Theater Dec. 2 to Jan. 1. Tickets start at $13 for members ($20 for non-members). Click here for showtimes and more information.
